#5 When There's Trouble you P-O-W

Good Morning! Welcome back to the Double Feature.

Today is Memorial Day, so I've paired two films about Prisoners of War. I really enjoyed both of these films, and I think they work really well together.
1. Stalag 17

 1953. Directed by Billy Wilder. 120 Minutes.

Man, Billy Wilder was GREAT! When many directors of this era stuck to specific genres, Billy Wilder seems to tackle something different every time he directs. This film was a lot of fun to watch, with a great twist. The cast of POW's are what make this work, and the film's stage-roots showcase each character's personality. William Holden is especially good as the antihero. This is great, classic fun.

2. Rescue Dawn

 2006. Directed by Werner Herzog. 126 minutes.
Another good movie. While Stalag 17 takes place in World War II Germany, Rescue Dawn takes place in Vietnam. Again, the strength of these types of films is the performances. Christian Bale does an admirable job, doing what he does best by throwing himself physically into the role. Self-emaciating weight loss became a competition among the actors, and I'll definitely give the trophy to Lost's Jeremy Davies. Steve Zahn does a great job adapting to a more dramatic role, with his character having a more resonant emotional connection than even Bale.

If you want a good double feature that helps get an inside mentality of American soldiers facing the greatest adversity, give this one a shot!

Favorite Moments:

1. "Not Gable. GRABLE!"
2. "Mmmm a good year, this one!"

Suggested Snack: A single egg, and some squished insect larva...on second thought, don't bother eating before or during these movies...

Double Feature # 4 - Skyscrapers and Everything!

We're back!! I apologize for the absence, I was busy graduating from college. FOREVER! I'm very happy about that. My plans for a post-graduation post went something like this:

"Oh boy! Time to get back to writing this blog that I started! I should really write a double feature about graduating from college!"

(Checks)

"I HAVE NOTHING ABOUT GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE!!"

Seriously! Not even The Graduate! I have seen it, mind you. Great film. It just "Currently does not own real estate on my shelf".

So what to do? Well, I'm very happy to report, that, in celebration of my liberation from the educational system, I am taking my first vacation in 4 years, and heading to New York City!

Now, there are a LOT of movies set in the Big Apple, many of which are in my collection. However, two movies very dear to my heart won out the honor of being in the New York themed Double Feature. First:

1. The Muppets Take Manhattan

 1984. Directed by Frank Oz. 94 Minutes.

Who doesn't freaking love The Muppets!? This is the first time they've appeared on this blog, and it won't be the last. Of the original Jim Henson full-length features, this is the one I actually had the least exposure to prior to my adult life. That might have been a blessing. Compared to the general zaniness of The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, this movie seems to have a bit more of an adult plot and story. Not adult content, mind you (though Janet from the band does get a pretty great line in that vein), but a slightly more mature plot-line. The Muppet Movie is a road-trip, The Great Muppet Caper is a mystery/heist film, but this movie is more about heart. It also features some great songs. Although none are quite at the "Rainbow Connection" level, many are my favorites of the whole Muppet canon, like "Together Again" and "Right Where I Belong". There are some great moments here, among them my favorites of the rat cooking scene (decades before Ratatouille!) and everything involving the frog marketing team Kermit gets stuck with. All in all, a fantastic film, and a great portrait of the city.

However!

The Muppets Take Manhattan is not the film that solidified New York as a magical place to my young growing mind. That honor goes to our next film:

2. Home Alone 2: Lost In New York

1992. Directed by Chris Columbus.

This movie was HUGE for 7-year-old Scotty Mo. I even had that awesome Talkboy that was marketed along with the film. The talkboy also had a tape full of dialogue from the movie, so i find it even more quotable than the original (Which I will feature on the blog as well, and please don't be mad about posting them out of order!) These movies, as horribly violent as they are, are super fun to me. Home Alone 2 is a pratically a commercial for coming to New York and living it up. I myself plan on getting my picture taken in Central Park in a way so you can see the Plaza Hotel in the background. I don't plan on staying at the Plaza (or in a run-down duplex in renovation), and I PROBABLY won't make friends with a homeless pigeon lady (improbable, not impossible, mind you) but as of now, without ever having actually been, I expect NYC to be EXACTLY like this film. (I am also prepared to be SLIGHTLY disappointed on that front).

So, do these movies make a good double feature? Maybe not in May. I tend to place the Home Alone movies (1&2, anything after is dead to me) as holiday movies. However, as movies about New York, especially from a DVD collection that's at least 50% based on childhood nostalgia, they go together nicely. If you're planning on psyching yourself (or your kids) up for a trip to NYC, you could do pretty well with this.

Question for readers: What's YOUR favorite NYC film?

Favorite Moments:
1. "So I told him 'listen buddy, I don't take my clothes off for anybody, even if it IS artistic'."

2. "That was the sound of a tool chest...falling down the stairs..."

Suggested Snack:
Muppets Take Manhattan-style Clam Chowder, as part of $967 of room service.

#3 - Prepare to be Boarded! Movies and Board Games.

Happy April, Interneteers!
A few days ago, I was able to engage in one of my favorite activities - Dungeons & Dragons (D&D, for those in the know). It got me remembering the fun I've had playing numerous games over my life. I even considered writing my thesis on non-video gaming. So it's with great pride I present to you this week's Double Feature, with the theme of Board Games. First, a film based on the most classic of games:
1. Clue

1985. Directed by Jonathan Lynn. 94 min.
I love, love LOVE this film. I first saw it on Comedy Central, and I'm pretty sure it was close to Halloween. The film takes the premise and characters of the original board game, and turns it into an hour and a half of hilarity. Each actor is fantastic in their roles, but it's Tim Curry who "buttles" his way into movie history with his performance. The DVD even gives you a chance to watch the movie as the original theater-goers did, by randomly selecting one of the three endings produced (I prefer seeing all three together). Clue is one of my favorite films of all time, and it belongs on this shelf more than most.

Our second feature is not as classic, or quite as funny, but it still holds a place in my heart.
2. Jumanji

1995. Dir. by Joe Johnston. 104 minutes.
Where Clue is based on an actual game, Jumanji creates its own game, a game with devious intent. Directed by Joe Johnston, who, although he has a few marks on his record (Jurassic Park 3, The PageMaster) has made some of my favorite films (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, the Rocketeer). Here, he takes what could be a truly crappy film, and lifts it up to quite a bit of fun. I will admit that the VHS of this film spent many many hours in our VCR. I remember the hub-bub around the film's release, saying it was a little too scary for a PG rating (I say whatever). There's some great stuff here! The CG mostly works (The monkeys look waaaay bad now, but everything else pretty much sells). I like the Dad/Hunter same actor trick they pulled, a sort of homage to Peter Pan. The movie is rather silly, but very fun. If and when I ever get around to it, I'll finish the iRiff of this movie.

Tonally, these films clash a little, but I still think they work pretty well together. Clue's main strengths are the script and the performances, Jumanji's are more about the pacing and effects. So, grab your game of Settlers of Cataan, or Monopoly, or even Hungry Hungry Hippos, pop these films in, and have yourself a fun Double Feature.

Favorite Moments:
1. "But one of us wasn't here! Nouh!" "Nouh?" "NOUH!"
2. "You're not a postal worker, are you?"

Suggested Snack:
Cheese and Fruit tray with Professor Plums and Colonel Mustard pretzels, and No-More-Banana-Leaves Banana Pudding.

Cute & Cuddly - Follow Up.

The Nostalgia chick has done her homework on Milo and Otis. I would say Willard is far less traumatizing of a film now.

#2 - Cute and Cuddly!

Hello again Interneters! Tonight I bring you a special Double Feature! For our second outing, I've chosen the theme "Cute and Cuddly".

I'm the first person to admit I have an over developed sense of cute. Combine that with the superpower known as nostalgia, and it's no wonder I own our first film:

1) The Adventures of Milo and Otis

1989. Directed by Masanori Hata. 76 Minutes (US Version)

I have a soft spot for this movie. Cute animals doing cute things.I also find the Dudley Moore narration hilarious. Just try not to think of how many little puppies and kitties "retired" during the FOUR YEARS it took to make this film.
Matching this movie was difficult. I don't own Babe, or any other live animal centric movies. Except maybe one....




2)Willard

2003. Directed by Glen Morgan.
Okay, so "Cute and Cuddly" just got ironic. So what? I LIKE this movie. I think it's perfectly creepy, the animal wrangling in it is fantastic, and how can you go wrong with Crispin Glover singing the infamous Michael Jackson song "Ben"?

So, do these two films go together? I vote yes. If you view it from the fun, optimistic angle, Milo, Otis, Socrates and Big Ben are all super cute...okay, Big Ben...not so much. If you view it from the dark, creepy angle, the process it is rumored to have taken to make Milo and Otis is just as horrifying as anything Willard has his little friends do. So go ahead, curl up with your cutest pets and have a night in! You'll be glad you did!

Favorite Moments:
1) "You're a strange-looking cat" "Oh, I'm not a cat; I'm a dog!" "All right, a dog, I understand, but...deep down, we're all cats, right?"
2) "Willard...there are rats in the basement!" (the surround sound should be on for this line. Good sound design!)

Suggested Snack!
Milo and Oatmeal Cookies, and, of course, Ratatouille.

My Own Milo, Otis, and...another cat. Bye for now, pet owners!

Thanks Mike!!

Wow! I'm so excited by the support I've already received from friends about this project! Within hours of my first post, my friend Mike had already created my fantastic new logo! I'm so excited about it now, I'm not sure I can keep myself to only post once a week. Stay tuned, everyone!

Double Feature #1 Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope/Back to the Future

The theme for this first post is, not surprisingly, BEGINNINGS!

Viewing Order
1) Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope1977. Directed by George Lucas. 125 minutes (because its the special edition. Ugh.)

2) Back to the Future1985(the year I was born!) Directed by Robert Zemeckis. 116 min.

As a self identified Nerd/Geek, these two films are practically encoded in my DNA at this point. My head turns every time I see Vader on a T-shirt. Every low, angular mid-eighties sports car needs a second look, just to see if it's the bad-performing, still-awesome Delorean. I could write pages and pages about both, but I'll try and keep it brief. Not only do these films both represent the beginning of their own mega-franchises, they also represent beginnings in my own life.

Star Wars represents the beginning of my geekdom. Posters, action figures, video/card games, and attempted Trilogy Viewing Nights perpetually peppered my prepubescence. Although it was not the first film in the series I saw (saving that for a different post), it is most definitely a great introduction to the franchise, establishing the world and characters, especially Luke Skywalker, the relatable, sometimes whiny but ultimately awesome hero. This film also marks the first time instrumental music really struck my brain. Before I knew about Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mozart or Rachmaninoff, I knew John Williams (or as I like to call him, John Effin' Williams). Star Wars will always be the first ancestor to the long genealogy that is my nerd media life.

Back to the Future represents a much more literal beginning: released in July of 1985, it shows the world I was born into. Where Star Wars is all about the world building and space-opera-fantasy, Back to the Future is all about our own culture, both in 1985 and the 1955 of Marty's parents. Marty is also a hero that carries his film well, with a little less of the whine, a lot more of the cool. Truthfully, though, the real reason I loved this movie was Doc Brown. Christopher Lloyd's performance is so energetic and hilarious, he drew my attention instantly. Also, he said my name as an interjection!!

Putting these two movies together is almost a no-brainer. The heroes are thrown on this amazing journey, one to save the galaxy, the other to save his family and his own existence. They hint at a grander destiny (or density, heh) for each hero, setting up their franchises for greater exploration. I hold both of these movies in a high regard, almost on par with each other. I only put Back to the Future second because I enjoyed the idea of ending the double-feature on a cliffhanger.

If you're looking for a fun Double Feature, why not try these two? Who knows, maybe you'll find some great parallels. If nothing else, it'll be a great ride!

The run-down:

Favorite Moments:
1) The Cantina Scene: That music! Those aliens! So great!!
2) "Sounds pretty heavy!" "Weight has nothing to do with it!"

Suggested Double-Feature Snacks!
Aunt Beru's Blue Milk, and Enchantment Under the Sea-biscuits.

What you might not know: Tom Wilson, who plays Biff Tannen? TOTALLY Nice guy, he's got a podcast you might want to check out.

See you next week!